SDO9816 - 'Discovery of Urns, Coins, and Skeletons, at Malmbury Rings' Dorset County Chronicle

"DISCOVERY OF URNS, COINS, AND SKELETONS, AT MALMBURY RINGS.- A friend informs us that he visited this remarkable spot in company with Signor Gavazzi, the Italian patriot, on Wednesday last, and elicited from him the highest admiration of its form and perfection, which the imaginative orator likened in outline to “a fish – the best of all fish – the turbot,” concurring in the opinion that the prominences on the east and west were the vantage spots whence the roman Imperator was accustomed to overlook the sports and entire assemblage, and remarking that, in all probability “here once stood the mighty Constantine himself;” but doubting very much the popular idea that the depressions on the sides of the elevation marked the sites of wild beasts’ dens – “Oh, no,” said Gavazzi, “that would never do – you see they sweep up upon the terrace.” Gavazzi stated that he had visited many of the most celebrated remains of Roman amphitheatres, but had met with none so perfect as ours. During the week, Mr. Gregory, whose building labours are fast developing in the immediate vicinity of the rings, the elevation of the the handsome pile of our constabulary barracks, has fallen in with, from first to last, the number of twenty-five skeletons – differently deposited from the three first discovered by him, as recorded in our columns some six weeks ago, It may be remembered that from the latter having been discovered doubled up in an upright posture, and deposited in a small hole dug for their reception, we were led to suggest that they might have been the remains of captives or malefactors slain in the cruel sports or gladiatorship of the circus, and hastily interred. Those now discovered, however, appear all to have been laid horizontally in the chalk bed at about three feet under the surface, and although in some instances the heads are found pointing different ways – all extending in the direction from east to west. One skull remained remarkably perfect, the teeth and jaw-bone quite sound. Near the remains were found two very minute roman coins – oboli – the one flattened and obliterated, but the other with the well known head of Constantine for its obverse, and on the reverse the two usual draped sacrificial figures. Near the public road, and quite apart from the human remains, was found a Poole token, of similar small size, bearing on its obverse the arms of Poole,* with a legend of the style and initials of the Mayor. And the word Port, thus:- “MAIOR [initials] PORT,” and on the obverse, “ – AND COUNTY OF POOLE;” in the centre the date, 1567. From ten to twelve more funeral urns have likewise been discovered – for the most part in a fragmentary condition – one or two, however, nearly entire; and, indeed, three have been exhibited to us, as nearly as possible in a state of completion, showing all the different shapes indicated by the fragments found. * “The arms of Poole are a Barry of eight Sa. And Vert. over all a Dolphin nayant, arg. In a chief of the third and three escallops of the first” – see supplement to Southern Times, Jan. 8, 1859."